The Futureheads – Walking Backwards (Dutch Uncles remix)

I’ve got a horrible, horrible admission to make. My first gig wasn’t anything super cool like Shonen Knife or an underground Deerhunter gig, it wasn’t No Age playing in a river or The Cribs first ever show. It might have been at Brixton Academy, but that doesn’t make the pill any sweeter to swallow. My first gig, on the 21st of March 2001 was Iron Maiden. At the time I loved them, and they’re still pretty awesome to watch live, but they’re not really my scene anymore. I’m not really sure if they were my scene then, but either way, they took my gig cherry.

However, that was with my uncle, a present for which I will forever be thankful, as it was, in all honesty, one of the best days of my life. The first gig I went to with just friends was a fair bit later, and was courtesy of someone probably more uncool than the tired old rockers. I thought it was a pretty underground gig at the time, but it clearly wasn’t – you’re well on your way to making it if you’re playing Manchester’s Academy 1 and it’s sold out. However, for me and James (with whom I have shared countless excellent gigs since), the main draw was that of the support band. 4 plcuky lads from Sunderland, there were rumours that their debut album was pretty much dead certain to be under-recouped, but that would’ve only stopped an idiot from loving them. It was The Futureheads, as you’ve probably guessed, and they were amazing. We were incredulous at people coming in simply for the main band and missing one of the better bands of 2004.

They later come back and headline the venue themselves, but second album ‘News and Tributes’ would see them dropped from 679 Recordings and inevitably tour smaller venues. However, after the success of self released ‘This is not the World’, they’re busy toiling away on LP4, and have given away ‘Struck Dumb’ for us all to enjoy in the meantime (RCRD LBL). Dutch Uncles, the enterprising young chaps that they are, have made the passage through to the next album even easier by remixing a track from the last album. If you’re not familiar with Dutch Uncles, then start now. They’re on the imaugral Love & Disater release alongside Delphic, Jo Rose, Everything Everything and Airship, and their indie pop tones should be haunting your 2010, so watch out. Anyway, here’s their reimagining of The Futureheads ‘Walking Backwards’: